Fault vs Responsibility

Some of the bad things that happen to us are not our fault. We are however still responsible for how we respond to those bad things.

It may not be our fault that we got laid off because the company is downsizing – but it is our responsibility to get up the next day and find new work if we need one.

It’s not our fault that traffic is bad. But we are responsible not to make it worse by following road signs – even if nobody else isn’t.

It’s not our fault our parents never [insert emotional verbs here like “loved”, “appreciated”, “trusted”, “protected”] us. But it is our responsibility not to keep using these as an excuse for making bad decisions later in life.

It’s not our fault that the government makes bad decisions. But it is our responsibility to continue finding ways to make a good impact to our community.

It’s true that a lot of things are not our fault – but it’s not an excuse to stop making an impact, loving others, and adding value.

When something bad happens to you, sure, you can vent and be angry at the start because it may not be your fault. But after venting? Move on and take responsibility.

It’s much more productive to have the RESPONSIBILITY mindset where you are in control versus the FAULT mindset where you have already given up.